monkvolcno wrote:I can’t stress this enough:One of the key features of a linear track mode should be the ability to flip the track into “all clips unique” mode.

The main current issue with FL, is that it demands a lot of “brain ram” to keep track of how everything is organized in your project. If you don’t keep track of what you have made unique, you face the possibility of loosing significant amounts of work.

I agree, solid write-up.

I would like to point out another huge workflow enhancement I would love to have in FL 20.1+ along with the make-all unique setting, and I hope is under consideration already: " pattern drag&drop to other instrument tracks "

Let's say you have FL Keys' Grand Piano, all setup with an instrument track - and several midi-patterns going along the playlist (intro, verse, chorus, breakdown). Now you want to add layers or change up the voicing as you add new instruments (in this case, let's say a saw and a bass).

Drag 3xOSC to the next playlist track to make an instrument track for that instrument (like a saw instrument)

In the playlist view, shift-dragging (copying) the midi pattern "chorus" from the Piano's track down into the 3xOSC's track should create a new midi pattern for 3xOSC (automatically unique)

Now I can edit that midi for 3xOSC, raising some notes up an octave

Drag GMS to the next playlist track to make an instrument track for that instrument (like a bass instrument)

Back to the playlist view, I'd then shift-drag the "chorus" midi pattern from Piano's track down into the GMS's track to create a new midi pattern for GMS (automatically unique)

Now I can edit that midi for GMS, leaving only the root notes, and perhaps move them down an octave

This quick scenario with FL 20.1+ instrument tracks and auto-unique patterns allowed me to go from a defined idea sketched out with one instrument, to having a bit of layering put in place with just a few steps. Currently, this layering and arrangement process is one of the largest pain points for me in FL. Having to make new patterns unique, and change voicing across instruments takes a bit long and is difficult to keep track of when looking at pattern names. I've used the Ctrl+Alt+Z quite a lot when copying a pattern for a different instrument's midi realizing I forgot to make a pattern unique.

Yes this is another really solid idea. Currently your options are to create copies of the original patterns, make unique, and copy paste them individually to new instrument. This can be quite involved and time consuming depending on the complexity of the track. Alternatively you can clone the generator and then replace the original with layer or patcher, and then have it trigger the clone and the new generator. Again time consuming and not ideal because maybe you don’t want it to be doubling the entire song, or maybe you want to change it slightly.

I was actually thinking of another way in which drag and drop could be inplemented in regards to automaton.

What if you could click on the controller link icon in the menu bar and drag that to a playlist track to create an automation track?

Additionally, I think it should automatically color the new automation track to the color of either the generator or mixer track that it is related too. Also, it would be great if you could keep dragging new parameters to the same playlist track and FL would create new automation tracks that are automatically grouped to that one playlist track.

This way, all your automation relating to that one instrument or mixer track could be quickly accessed in one easily identifiable place.

I’ve notice that I actually avoid automating things because my project so quickly becomes unmanageable. Granted I’m prone to being disorganized, but aren’t a lot of creative people in the same boat?

Yes I have to be in a completely different mindset to be an organizer than when I am in create mode, and frankly I see organization as a waste of my focus. I only have some much narrow focus in a day and organizing isn't my favorite way to spend my focus.